Welcome to ROE #21's Updated Newsletter!

We are changing the way we connect with you! Moving forward, instead of receiving the ROE #21 Connection as a linked PDF, you will be able to see it right here in your email inbox. Thank you for being a part of the ROE #21 Connection and stay tuned for more exciting updates!

IARSS 2022-2023 Educator Shortage Survey

The Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS) has been conducting an annual educator shortage survey in Illinois since fall 2017. This year’s survey included responses from 690 public school districts, 80% of the districts across the state. Superintendent responses indicated that staffing concerns are worse than in previous years. Over 30% of posted teacher, special education and support staff (e.g., school counselors) positions went unfilled or were filled with a less than qualified hire (un/underfilled). In the six years IARSS has conducted the survey, that’s the highest percentage of un/underfilled positions reported. In total, 2,728 teacher, special education and support staff positions were un/underfilled.

Read the Full Educator Shortage Survey Results

Congratulations to our February 2023 Teacher of the Month from Johnson County, Branon Waters!

Mrs. Waters is a 2nd grade teacher at New Simpson Hill Grade School in Tunnel Hill, Illinois. She received a gift basket filled with various items donated by several Johnson County businesses as well as an engraved plaque donated by All Stars-N-Stitches of Benton, IL. In her nomination, it was explained that Mrs. Waters makes learning fun! She is the best at reading stories, making up songs and using fun voices to keep the kids involved, interested, and educated. She makes everyone laugh and teaches life lessons as well as school lessons. Congrats to Mrs. Waters and all nominees!

View all Johnson Co. Nominees

Nominate a Massac Co. Teacher

March Events

MARCH 2nd

MARCH 8th

MARCH 10th

MARCH 27th

MARCH 30th

Educator Licensure

License Renewal

License Renewal Season is Approaching! If your license is up for renewal on June 30, 2023, you will be able to renew your license on your Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) account after April 1, 2023.

If you hold a teaching license, you must renew it every five years. All endorsements are renewed with the license. Beginning with the 2015 – 2020 renewal cycle, and every cycle thereafter, teachers and school support services personnel must complete 120 hours of professional development to renew regardless of the number or types of degrees held. Acceptable Professional Development Coursework from a regionally accredited Illinois College or University, National Board Certification, National Licenses (For School Support Personnel) and activities must be provided by an Approved Illinois Professional Development Provider .

Check your Contact Information!

Don’t forget to double check your contact information in your Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) Account. This information is the only way the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is able to reach out to you with important information and updates regarding your license.

If you need help navigating your ELIS Account, this step-by-step video will guide you through.

Elevating Special Educators

The Illinois Elevating Special Educators (IESE) Network has been busy supporting our Area 5 Special Education Cooperatives and Districts! In response to numerous requests around behavior support, we are happy to announce that we are bringing Lani Lawson and her Teach.Train.Thrive. Program to our Summer Institute on June 8th, 2023. Our day will begin at 9:00am, with lunch provided, and participants will receive professional credit all at NO COST for participants. Sign up here!

The IESE Newsletter is available--check it out here.

Please reach out to us if we can support you with Professional Learning opportunities for your staff (including your paraprofessionals)! We'd love to have a conversation!

Email Roxanna Alldredge, Program Advisor

Email Amanda Spannagel, Regional Specialist

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program

Who is eligible by law?

All children and youth who don't have a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, such as those living:

In an emergency or transitional shelter, with friends or relatives due to loss of housing or economic hardship (also known as doubled up.)
In a motel, hotel, campground, car, bus or train station or other public place, an abandoned building.
In inadequate accommodations, such as no utilities or running water, no working kitchen, infestations/mold/vermin, number of bodies vs. beds.
As an Unaccompanied Youth, including youth who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

Let’s Get Familiar with McKinney-Vento Homeless Education

The cornerstone of the McKinney-Vento legislation is the right to equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as is provided to other children and youth. This means working to eliminate barriers to identification, enrollment, attendance, or success in school of students experiencing housing instability.

While schools are preparing for 2023-24 enrollment, consider the following common enrollment barriers: immediate enrollment, school selection, and full participation in school. Take this time to assure your school’s policies do not hinder the enrollment of McKinney-Vento eligible students due to lack of immunization and other health records, residency requirements, lack of birth certificates, school records or other documentation, or guardianship issues.

Immediate enrollment in school is not only the law, but for students experiencing housing instability, school may be their one constant, a place where they receive both physical and emotional support. The caring adults and routine of the day can give comfort to those whose life otherwise may be uncertain and chaotic. Imagine, if you will, the last time you moved houses; all the packing of household items and personal effects, then getting the boxes unpacked, trying to find the essentials first, coffee pot and cups. Maybe you were well organized, and unpacking was a breeze. For our McKinney-Vento families, the experience is rarely organized. Their focus is: where will we sleep tonight, will I be able to feed my children, will my children be taken from me because we no longer have a house? Their focus is NOT: where are my children’s school/health records? This is why district policies that eliminate enrollment barriers need to be in place, allowing McKinney-Vento students immediate enrollment while district McKinney-Vento liaisons step in, assisting families to gather the documents required. Your district McKinney-Vento liaison has been trained how to assist these students; from referrals to health care agencies, to accessing resources to obtain needed documents, often free of charge.

As you move forward with the 2024 enrollment preparations, please make sure your enrollment policies support McKinney-Vento students.

McKinney-Vento Liaison Locator

PACT: Partners Against Chronic Truancy

Project ECHO & StarQuest

We are proud to announce that three more students have completed their academic requirements in order to obtain a high school diploma. The seniors attended a career fair hosted at John A Logan College (JALC), and our high school students have been busy working on resume-building skills. The Curriculum Team, REACH Team, and Community Partnership Grant Team have been working collaboratively to achieve some goals before the end of the academic school year. Project ECHO and STARQuest Academy would like to give a shout out to all the team participants and to acknowledge the hard work and dedication that has been invested thus far. It is very much appreciated!